All Along
by vocalspaz88
Summary: Ladybug and Cat Noir are an unbeatable team. Fighting with their miraculouses to save their noble city, the duo spends most of their time side by side and yet, they don't even know each other's names. That sort of ignorance, however, couldn't have possibly lasted forever. Soon Cat Noir and Ladybug will know each other inside and out, unmasked and unguarded.
1. Chapter 1

One night was all she had wanted. No evil butterflies, no lucky charms, and no Cat Noir. It had been almost two years since Marinette had discovered her Miraculous on her desk, and though she was happy to defend paris any other day, she was still just a high school girl and there were other things on her mind. For example, her a school dance.

All through her senior year she and Alya had planned for that night. They picked out dresses, scheduled spa days, and spent most of their waking hours giggling about how much fun their first dance would be. It wasn't often that french high schools did things like that, but Chloe had wanted it to happen and as usual, the mayor carried out his daughter's demand. It was the only good thing Marinette could recall Chloe coming up with, and for once, Marinette was on her side.

So much work had gone into the planning of this once in a lifetime occasion, especially from Marinette and her friends, and the last thing she had wanted was an interruption from her double life. For just one night, Marinette didn't want to be the Miraculous Ladybug.

Hawk Moth of course had other plans.

The Akuma victim crashed the dance early on. Wallflower, in a gown of vines and ivy, brought forth thick ropes of plant life from beneath the floor of the ballroom. One by one she tangled students in her vines. Clasped tightly in her hand was a boutonniere, and Marinette just knew it held the akuma inside.

Dread washed over her, and through the panic she sprinted for the bathroom, biting back the tears she felt stinging her eyes. "One night," She mumbled, averting her eyes as Tikki escaped from her clutch. "Was that too much to ask?"

"Don't cry Marinette," Her kwami said gently. "I know you wanted to dance, but if we don't stop Wildflower…"

"I know," She snapped. "I know. Tikki, spots on."

With a sad sort of look, Tikki complied and saw Marinette through her transformation into Ladybug. Once all suited up, Marinette ran back down the hall towards the ballroom. She didn't stop even as she heard the gentle landing of her partner beside her. "Light on your feet, as always," She said with a sideways glance at Cat Noir. "Not hoping to dance, were you?"

"With an akuma on the loose, who's got time for pussy footing around?"

With a quick wink, Cat grabbed Ladybug around the waist and extended his stick, pole vaulting them both the rest of the distance towards the dance. Tangled in the writhing greenery covering the wall, Ladybug spotted the face of the victim, almost hidden in the pistol of a flower with her petal like bangs over her eyes. "Guess it's time for a little pruning," Cat jeered. "But it's only fair to warn you Wildflower, my thumbs are about as green as my tail."

Even as sharp thorns sprouted along the villain's stem, Ladybug spared a moment to roll her eyes.

"Well M'Lady," Cat shrugged. "Let's dance."

The Wildflower let out a mournful cry, shaking her boutonniere madly as Cat Noir and Ladybug charged. " _Dance?"_ She shrieked. " _How cruel, asking a bug to dance before me!"_

"The akuma is in her boutonniere!" Ladybug shouted.

"On it!"

Cat extended his staff, spinning it in front of him and slashing through the thick vines. He leaped up, using his claws to launch himself higher and higher until he was swaying on a cluster of petals, Wildflowers fist, as it held the boutonniere snuggly inside. "Time to nip this in the bud, wouldn't you say?"

The battle raged on. Cat Noir used his cataclysm to rip through vines, stems, trunks and bulbs, turning the mess in the gym into a pile of lawn clippings. The Wildflower screamed, and up from the wreckage floated up what seemed like hundreds of tiny seeds, all rapidly growing into thick branches with even more thorns than before. Before he could react the had him trapped, growing into a cage around him. The thorns only grew longer and sharper, creeping closer and closer to Cat's skin. " _LADYBUG!"_

"I'm coming!" She shouted. "Lucky Charm!"

When she produced a pack of spotted ballons, her heart sank. " _Seriously?"_ She groaned.

"Think of something quick, I'm not a big fan of acupuncture!"

She looked around frantically, and suddenly, she looked up, seeing the light of the moon streaming down through the sky light. In the corner, was a tank of helium, the one she and Alya had used to inflate the decorations. She sprinted to the tank as Cat Noir fought his way free of the thorns, keeping Wildflower busy as she inflated balloon after balloon, sending them up to the ceiling. Bit by bit the moonlight was shut out, and without the light, Wildflower began to shrivel and wilt. "The bud!" Ladybug yelled. "Its withering, grab the boutonniere!"

"Haha!" Cat whooped, easily ripping it free of the vines and chucking it at the wall above Ladybug's head.

She smiled. "No more evil doing for you, little Akuma. Time to de-evialize!"

With practiced skill, she captured and purified the akuma, then let it loose and watched as it fluttered up and away through the skylight. She felt a wistful sort of sadness as it floated away. "Bye bye, little butterfly."

Then, she took the balloon package and tossed it skyward. "Miraculous ladybug!"

Quicker than a flash, everything went back to normal, including the poor girl who had gotten stood up by her date to the dance. Ladybug watched as a boy, her date she assumed, apologized for his tardiness and presented her with a beautiful, handmade corsage. The two began to dance, and she saw Cat turn towards her, but before he could raise his fist to "pound it," Ladybug was gone.

Tears falling freely now, she fled the ballroom and flung her yoyo, pulling herself up and onto the roof where she didn't have to watch the couples dancing. All she had wanted was to dance with the boy she liked, but somehow she got the feeling that even if there hadn't been an interruption, Adrien wouldn't have asked her dance. No matter what she did, he just… didn't love her. She had to let him go. More tears spilled down her cheeks, wetting her mask. She heard the familiar pitter patter of her partner's steps and turned her head.

"Ladybug," Cat Noir said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright? We won, didn't we?"

"I guess," She mumbled. "It's just… Nevermind, it doesn't matter."

Cat leaned closer to her, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Please," He said. "Talk to me."

"It's… A boy I like," She admitted. "What good is being a superhero if I don't even have the courage to tell a boy the way I feel about him? Besides, even if I told him, he'd never give me the time of day. He's in a league all his own."

Cat's ears drooped, and he gave her a knowing smile. "I understand."

"You do?"

"Yeah," He sighed wistfully. "It's the same with the girl that I love."

Ladybug looked up. "Love?"

"Yes, dear?" Cat teased.

They both laughed, and Cat reached down to wipe the tears from her face. She smiled, and he offered her a slight bow, holding out his hand. "Care to dance, M'lady?"

Ladybug listened, and she could still hear the gentle music floating up from the ballroom below. Giggling, she placed her hand in Cat Noir's and let him twirl her around the roof. He looked into her eyes as they danced, a certain sadness there that she was all too familiar with. It tugged at her heartstrings and suddenly, when she looked at Cat Noir she saw more than her partner, more than just her friend. She saw the boy who'd give his life for hers, she saw the one who's fought with her and for her since day one, the boy that's made her feel everything but invisible. Her heart fluttered in her chest, but skipped a beat all together when suddenly, she heard the beeping of his ring.

Cat Noir was lost in the moment. He'd known for a while he'd never win Ladybug's heart. She was so distant with him, treated him like a teammate, but nothing more. Seeing her cry over the one she loved made him mad with jealousy at first. He wanted to use his cataclysm on whoever it was who had made her feel this way, but then he realized that even if he did that, her heart still belonged to this… other boy. The sadness that knowledge brought came with a puzzling sort of peace. His little game of cat and bug was over, the chase was lost. _One dance,_ He told himself. _One dance, and then she's just my partner. One dance and I'll let her go._

Afterall, wasn't that what you were supposed to do when you love someone?

Cat was almost grateful for the beeping of his ring, it took away his temptation to stay. He stepped back, taking a bow before Ladybug and giving her hand a light kiss. "Until next time, M'lady."

With that he retreated, and though he told himself it was wishful thinking, he was almost sure he had heard her sigh.

Back at the dance, Plagg tucked safely in his suit pocket, Adrian wandered listlessly, feeling a little lost without the hope of catching the heart of his Ladybug. Girls all waved at him, smiling and giggling as he passed. He knew that if he'd only chose, he could have anyone of them he wanted. He was rich, a model, a trophy to anyone who could call him hers. The over eagerness of their kindness felt fake, and bitterness settled over his heart like a thick layer of dust. As he walked he caught a glimpse of a familiar pair of eyes and looked up, hoping in vain he'd see ladybug just once more before the night ended.

Looking back at him, however, was his classmate Marinette. He waved at her, and instead of jumping up, or fighting for his attention like the other girls did she just… Smiled. Marinette waved back with a lazy sort of air about her, a dreamy look in her eyes. Something about the look of her struck Adrian's heart and _hard,_ leaving him with butterflies in his stomach as he gazed at her in her beautiful gown.

That fluttering feeling stuck with Adrian, even six years later.

Though so much time had passed, nothing was that different for him. Adrian had finished high school, gone to college, and even still had the same old job. It wasn't that he disliked modeling, he was actually quite passionate about it, but he missed the familiar faces of his classmates. Most of his old friends had moved on, spread their wings and made their own lives, but luckily for Adrian one girl had stayed rather… close by.

Marinette was one of his father's _very promising_ new designers.

Adrian was proud of her. He was happy to say he had nothing to do with her being hired. He'd never said a word to his father about her passion for design, or even her interest. All on her own Marinette became the best of the best, impressing his father enough to offer her a job straight after graduation.

Because of her talent, Adrian got to see her almost every day. He fell deeper in love with her every time they spoke, and though the years he'd dated other girls, nothing felt right. He'd even taken Chloe out once or twice, just to try, but it went about as awfully as one would expect and left Adrian discouraged and frustrated. None of it was what he wanted, none of it was anything like the passionate love affair he dreamed about.

Adrian took out all of his frustrations on the victims of Hawk Moth's Akumas. As Adrian grew, so did the powers of his miraculous. Cat Noir developed the power to melt into a shadow, enabling him to slip under doors, travel unseen, and move at incredible speeds. He still fought alongside Ladybug, and though he doubted he could ever stop loving her, every time he saw her the squeeze of his heart brought on a wave of sadness, reminding him of how she'd always brush his affections aside.

Things were different now. She treated him… Differently than she used to. She was sweeter when she spoke, that dangerous sparkle in her blue eyes wreaking havoc on Cat Noir's self control. As Ladybug grew up, her grace and charm only became harder to resist. Cat Noir wasn't the only one with new powers, and the first time he saw Ladybugs wings he almost gave in to her flirtations. He took in every inch of her, not missing the new backless bodysuit she wore to accommodate her flight. "Stunning landing, M'Lady," Cat said smoothly when she touched down beside him. "I'm glad you dropped by."

Ladybug fluttered her wings and winked at him, and though it thrilled Cat he chuckled and turned his head, effectively hiding the red in his cheeks as he began dissolving into black smoke. "You think you're the only one with a new toy?"

Her gasp made him smirk as he disappeared into the shadows, and he reformed behind her, casually strolling towards the awaiting fight. "This way," He said smoothly.

He had no idea how he was affecting her. Ladybug was hooked. Though in reality her dreams had finally come true, spending every day at her dream job, designing for Adrian came with a bittersweetness she hadn't expected. When he spoke to her he was charming, sweet and shy and everything she'd ever dreamed of, but where years ago she would have swooned, Adrian's attentions only made her feel sad. After years of him breezing past her without thought, suddenly being the center of his attention felt like a trap, as if it were too good to be true. "Marinette," Tikki had scolded her. "This is still the Adrian you love! Nothing's changed! Why are you giving him the cold shoulder like this?"

"I can't take being disappointed again, Tikki," She mumbled as she sketched. "Somethings are too good to be true for a reason."

Though she'd never admit it, there was another thing keeping her from rekindling her adoration for Adrian. She gazed out the window and thought of the night before, fighting beside Cat Noir and watching as he slipped through the Akumitized's fingers time after time, melting into smoke like an illusion. Her heart jumped in her chest when she thought of that sleek black suit and those feline eyes staring straight through her. As she grew older she found herself thinking about her partner in a whole new way. She wasn't totally naive, it wasn't as if she were saving herself for Cat Noir, she was open to other men and had actually gone on a few dates here and there. No matter who she dated though, with every kiss she'd be only able to think of her partner, her cat of the night with the maddening green eyes.

"Other things," Tikki said, interrupting her daydreams. "Are just meant to be!"

"Tikki, you're distracting me," She sighed, holding out her sketch to get a better look. Though she had definitely been daydreaming, she truly did have a lot to do. There was a huge fashion show coming up, one that was themed around the heroes of paris. She was the top designer on the project, glamorizing fashions for police officers, soldiers, firefighters and more. Naturally, as far as heroes were concerned there were two that just _had_ to be a part of the show, and those two were Ladybug and Cat Noir. To Marinette's frustration, the design of _those_ fashions was coming straight from the top. Adrian's father was going to be the one sketching _those._ Still, the other designs were quite a challenge. "Tikki, do you think this looks… Doctor chic?"

Both of them dissolved into giggles.

With her kwami's undying support, the project went off without a hitch all through the design process. Marinette was bouncing with excitement, the night of the fashion show had finally arrived and her employment had made it easy to snag excellent seats. She wondered with excitement who would be playing herself and Cat Noir as she slipped into her midnight blue cocktail dress. She was on her way to take her seat when suddenly someone had ahold of her wrist. She looked up, alarmed to see her boss, Adrian's father, looming over her with a terrifying crease in his brown. "S-sir?" Marinette stammered. "What… Did I do now?"

"Nothing, actually," Gabriel Agreste said sharply. "It's one of the models. She's been in a collision."

"That's terrible," Marinette gasped.

"Yes, it is. And now we need someone to wear her dress for the show."

The words sunk in like a stone in Marinette's stomach. "...Me?"

"Yes, you."

The dread worsened, and she almost didn't dare ask her next question. "And… Which dress am I going to be modeling?"

"Ladybug."

" _LADYBUG?"_ Marinette shrieked, but it was too late. Mr. Agreste thanked her swiftly nd left before she could argue, leaving her open mouthed and unable to think of a single way out. Whimpering in defeat, she made her way to the dressing room just _hoping_ that whoever wore Cat Noir would carry the act.

When Adrian had been informed that it would be _him_ modeling the Cat Noir fashions, he all but threw himself off of a bridge in his panic. "I don't think I can do this," He had said. "Plagg, I'm going to be sick."

"Oh please," Plagg drawled, munching away at his cheese all the while. "Don't tell me you're stressed over the thought of playing _yourself."_

"I can't just _play_ Cat Noir," He groaned.

"You're right," Plagg said. "You _are_ Cat Noir."

"You don't get it," He protested. "I need the situation to be Cat Noir. I need you, I need my claws. Like this… I'm nothing like myself, you know?"

Plagg stared at him for a very long time, and Adrian let out a long sigh. "Oh, you're no help at all."

Panicked as he was, the night of the fashion show came anyway. Plagg was right, the fact that he was struggling to play a part of himself was ridiculous, but there was so much pressure. What if he failed? What would his father say? And what if he did _too_ well? He didn't want people to find out he was the _real_ Cat Noir. He gulped when he was told it was time for the models to take their places. He'd rehearsed with the woman modeling Ladybug, and when he caught a glimpse of spots out of the corner of his eye he tried to channel Cat Noir. Running on instinct, he turned to greet her, "M'Lady," On his lips when suddenly, he stopped mid-turn, the breath knocked out of him.

Standing beside him was _not_ the model he rehearsed with. He stared into round, sparkling blue eyes, knowing all too well where he'd seen them before. "Ladybug…"

She blushed, averting her eyes and Adrian had to make a physical effort to keep his jaw from dropping. The woman standing before him was the real Ladybug, of that much he was sure. However, when he looked at her he saw… Marinette. The knowledge settled in his heart and he stared, until finally Marinette giggled, covering her face with both hands. "Sorry, sorry," She said.

"What's the matter?"

"You just… Reminded me of someone I love, that's all."

Adrian's mouth went dry, but there was no time. The music began pulsating through the speakers, the show was starting. Marinette, his Ladybug, flashed him a thumbs up and flitted to their spot at the end of the procession. The show passed in a blur, and all Adrian could think about was Marinette. She had been his Ladybug all along.

After, Adrian rushed off stage and burst out the back door, resting both hands on his knees as he panted for breath. Plagg slipped out of his suit pocket, hovering supportively beside him as he gathered his wits. "All along…" He huffed. "It's been her. Marinette _and_ Ladybug. They're the same person."

"Well no wonder you're hot for them both," Plagg commented. "All this time I just thought you were crazy. Just wait until she finds out who YOU are!"

Adrian shot him a glare, but Plagg was right. Everything suddenly made sense. "I've got to tell her," He decided. "As soon as possible. Now, if I can. The moment our eyes meet I'm going to tell her."

"Here we go."

"Shut it Plagg. Hide."

Rolling his eyes, Plagg tucked himself back into Adrian's jacket.

Back inside the after party was in full swing. Drinks were being passed round, people were dancing, and all of the models were changed into suits and gowns, mingling among the guests. Adrian was still in his Car Noir piece but he didn't care, he frantically scanned the faces around him searching for blue, those stunning baby blue eyes he's fallen in love with not once, but twice.

Finally he saw her and he crossed the room at top speeds, catching her by the arm and flashing her a smile. "Glad I spotted you," He teased. She was back in her cocktail dress, but when he looked at her he still saw spots. This brought a smile to his face. "M'Lady," He added.

A look of confusion, then panic, and then a forced calm crossed her face and she shook her head, laughing as she gazed out the window. "Really getting into character, aren't you Adrian?"

"You have no idea," He chuckled. "Would you… want to maybe… Dance with me?"

She tilted her head, worrying her lip between her teeth. "Oh… I'm not sure if that's a good idea…"

"Please?" He urged. "There's something I want to tell you."

Worry flashed in her eyes. "Adrian, please don't."

"I have to tell you how I feel, Marinette," He protested.

"I can't hear this right now," She groaned. "Please don't do this! My heart… It belongs to someone else!"

"I know," He insisted. "You're in love with Cat Noir, I know! That's what I'm trying to say, I-"

"Hold on," She snapped. "I never told anyone that. How did you know that?"

Adrian's heart stopped. "Huh?"

"You went through my things, didn't you?" She hissed, both anger and fear in her eyes. "You read my diary! Didn't you?"

"What?" Adrian cried. "No! Of course not! If you'd only listen, I could explain-"

Before he could finish her sentence, he felt the sudden sting of a gloved hand striking him across the cheek. He stared at her, wide eyed and stunned silent as she lowered her hand, and her glare was colder than ice. "Don't bother."

And just like that, Marinette disappeared into the sea of people.

Adrian started running. He slipped out the back door and headed down the street, even as it started to rain. "Wow," Plagg whistled. "How'd you manage to screw that one up?"

"Shut up," Adrian snapped. "Plagg, claws out."

The kwami's jaw dropped. "What, now?"

"Now!" He growled. "Claws out!"

"Okay, okay!"

As Cat Noir, he was much faster. And luckily, the Adrian in him knew just where to go.

Marinette, however, had a good head start.

As soon as she'd lost sight of the crowd she'd gone outside to transform. Her wings buzzed to life and she took off flying, heading straight for home until she felt the first stinging drop of rain. "No," Ladybug groaned. "No!"

Unable to fly with wet wings, she had no choice but to land and find a place to dry off. Tears streaking down her cheeks she sloshed through the puddles until she made her way to her old high school. Sniffling, she climbed the steps and took shelter on the stoop, leaning against the cold, wet columns wondering how she was going to live this night down. That's when she heard the footsteps. Only one person she knew tread quite so lightly. She looked up. "Cat Noir?"

Just as she had thought, Cat was standing right in front of her on the stoop, facing the pouring rain with an umbrella in hand. He didn't speak at first, and she bit her lip, embarrassed to be seen in such a state. "I…"

"The cat's out of the bag, M'Lady," He suddenly said. "I know who you are."

Ladybug froze. "You… What?"

"I know your name," He said. "So it's only fair I tell you mine." He turned to face her, extending the umbrella with a smile. "Its me. Adrian."

She blinked. "Wait, what? No... No, don't be silly. You can't be."

"Marinette," He said firmly. "It's me."

The sound of her name on his lips hit her like lightning and for a long time she was to stunned to move, but then he smiled and she knew he was telling the truth. She crept forward, stepping under the umbrella with him and looking up into his big, green eyes. She reached up, touching his soft blonde hair and running her fingertips down the side of his face. "Adrian?"

He nodded, and she scratched under his chin until he purred, making her laugh out loud. "It _is_ you," She breathed. He opened his eyes and the way he looked at her warmed her heart in spite of the bitter cold and rain. Entranced, she found herself leaning closer, both her hands coming up to cup Adrian's face. "How silly we've been," She murmured.

His eyes slipped closed and he tilted his head down, lips just a breath away from hers. "M'Lady…"

She paused, pulling back just enough to reach up and scratch behind his ear. His lips parted and he shivered, body going rigid at her touch. "Marinette," He sighed, the passion in his voice shaking her bones as he gathered her into his arms and kissed her, dropping the long forgotten umbrella and letting it roll down the steps.


	2. Chapter 2

He wanted to see her again.

There was a certain kind of elation that went far beyond happiness, the kind of elation that came with finding out the woman you've loved for years, has loved you back for just as long. Adrian was in heaven, never in his life had he felt so… _good._ Still in bed, Adrian rolled onto his stomach and stared off into space, daydreaming about the night before. He thought about how he'd left things. The Cat Noir in him had a certain… theatrical way of doing things, and just as the kiss had slowed to a stop he had lowered his voice to a whisper. "Goodnight, Marinette," He had purred, just before dissolving into a cloud of black smoke and disappearing into the night.

"You're making that face again," Plagg commented. "You're still thinking about that kiss, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," Adrian said dreamily.

Plagg rolled his eyes. "Well it was a bit over dramatic, in my opinion."

Adrian only smiled. "Yeah," He sighed. He hadn't meant to make such an over the top departure, he'd just… done it. He didn't regret it, but he almost wished he'd taken her home. He ached to see her, to just hear her voice, and though he wanted to talk to her he felt that he owed her more than just a text or phone call. "I've just got to see her," Adrian said.

"Now?" Plagg complained. "You just saw her, can't we just take a sunday off for once?"

"No, I've got to see her now," Adrian said firmly. "I just can't stop thinking about her."

Though Plagg grumbled and griped, he went along willingly enough as Adrian got dressed and headed into his kitchen to put together a picnic lunch. Sometimes he missed having Natalie around to do all of his cooking, but most of the time he was happy to have the independance. His heart felt warm as he prepared sandwiches for himself and for Marinette, and he ignored the gagging noises Plagg made when he pulled a single red tulip from the vase on the counter. "All packed," He said. "Let's go see Marinette."

Adrian grabbed the flower and the basket and hurried to his car, driving through the city with his heart in his throat, growing more and more excited with every mile. He climbed up the stairs to her apartment, and with a pounding heart he rang her bell. He held his breath as he waited for Marinette to answer, and the moment she opened the door he took her by the waist, tugged her close to him, and kissed her deeply on the lips. She leaned into his hold and he tightened his grip on her waist, melting with every brush of her lips. He felt her hands creep up the sides of his neck, making him shiver before knotting her fists in his hair. When he pulled back, Marinette slowly loosened her hold on his hair, resting her hands on his chest. The touch made his heart skip a beat, and he knew his cheeks had to be turning pink.

But then, so were hers. "You could have called," She pointed out breathlessly, a smile creeping onto her face. She indicated her pajamas and he flushed scarlet.

"I couldn't wait," He admitted sheepishly. "I… I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"Well, when you put it that way…"

"Come out with me," He insisted, tucking the red tulip into her hair.

Her face lit up, and she batted her pretty, baby blue eyes at him, making his heart pound. "Five minutes," She promised, and just like that ducked back into her apartment to get ready.

He stared after her, leaning back on the doorframe with a sigh. When she came out in a light green sundress, the tulip braided into her hair, the sight of her took his breath away. He cleared his throat, offering her his arm and leading her down the stairs. "So," She chirped, eyeing the picnic basket. "Where are you taking me?"

"A park," He said. "The one near the river. I figured we could have some lunch, take a long walk… talk."

Marinette smiled, the sound of her laughter like a tiny silver bell. "We do have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

"That, m'lady, we do," Adrian replied with a grin.

The way she looked at him after that made him want to grab her and kiss her all over again, but he reeled himself in and took her to the park like he'd promised. When they arrived, he knew at once that they couldn't have picked a better day. He was glad they had decided to walk there, because the sun was shining warm and a lovely breeze was rolling off of the water. He watched Marinette as she balanced on the very edge of the sidewalk, teetering back and forth with the wind, her dark hair shining in the sun. Her hair had gotten so long recently, and he could hardly suppress his desire to pull it free of that braid and run his fingers through it. As he gazed at her a sudden gust caught her wrong, sending her wobbling over until she'd knocked them both to the grass. He landed on his back with a " _Oof,"_ the breath knocked right out of him as she landed on his chest.

Marinette's eyes went wide like saucers, her face glowing red, but before she could start stammering out an apology, he reached up and stroked her cheek, arching up to press a light kiss to her lips. "I adore you, clumsy girl." He chuckled.

Her fingers gripped his shoulders and though she was still as red as an apple, she started to laugh. Adrian helped her up, looking around and shrugging his shoulders. "This is as good a picnic spot as any, wouldn't you say bugaboo?"

"Y-yeah," She giggled.

Nodding, Adrian took her hand and walked her a little farther from the curb before spreading out the checkered blanket he'd brought along. They sat down together, and as soon as he opened up the basket Plagg came zipping out, circling his head and repeatedly whacking him in the ear with his tiny fists. "There was _no_ cheese in that _whole_ basket!" He cried mournfully. "I looked and looked and looked! Do you hate me, Adrian?"

Marinette lit up. "Is this your… Kwami?"

Holding him at bay with one hand, Adrian nodded. "Meet Plagg."

Distracted instantly, Plagg flew over to Marinette, circled her twice, then grabbed her hand and kissed it. Adrian visibly recoiled: Plagg had _manners?_ "Pleasure to finally meet you, Ladybug," Plagg said, a slight teasing note to his voice. "Adrian over there never stops talking about you, though, so we've basically already met."

Adrian turned scarlet. "Plagg!"

"What a charming companion you've got there," Marinette laughed. "Here, meet Tikki."

Marinette unclasped her little purse, and a tiny spotted kwami floated out. One look and Adrian would have known she was Ladybug's. "Nice to meet you, Tikki," Adrian said.

"Don't be embarrassed, Cat Noir! Marinette talks about _you_ more, I'm sure of it!"

"Wanna bet?" Plagg scoffed.

"Oh my god," Marinette groaned, covering her face.

The kwami's shared a good laugh at their expense, and Adrian sighed, pulling a circle of camembert out of his backpack. "You really don't deserve this," He said as Plagg devoured it.

"You… Don't happen to have any cookies, do you?"

Adrian looked up and Tikki was floating in front of him, very familiar baby blue eyes staring right through him. "Of course, help yourself!" He said hurriedly, pulling a box out of the picnic basket and opening it up for her. The little Kwami's eyes lit up and she dipped inside the box, pulling out an armful of chocolate chip cookies before settling beside Marinette to eat. Adrian smiled fondly. "Well at least one of them has manners," He chuckled.

"Those cookies look pretty familiar," Marinette accused, a smile creeping onto her face. "You haven't been talking to my parents, have you?"

"Guilty as charged," He laughed. "What can I say? It's the best bakery in Paris."

"I'll have to tell them that," Marinette said, laying her hand over his. "You're very sweet."

"It's easy to be sweet around you," He admitted.

Looking bashful yet pleased, Marinette snatched a cookie from the box and shoved it in Adrian's mouth, effectively silencing him and making herself laugh. He chewed and swallowed as well as he could, laughing right along with her at the absurdity of that silly girl. "Here," He said, reaching into the basket again and passing her a sandwich. "Eat up."

Nodding, she accepted the sandwich and scooted closer to him, settling between his legs with her back against his chest. He hadn't expected such close proximity on the first date, but it felt so right. He and Marinette were in an unusual position, having been in love with one another for years but only just indulging themselves. It was difficult to decide how to proceed. Their relationship may have been new, but their feelings were well aged and as she cuddled against him he felt that they had been truly made for each other.

Being with her was just so easy.

Adrian felt as if he were finally following his heart for the first time, and he was having the time of his life. They didn't do anything too out of the ordinary, nothing fancy or over the top, they simply shared lunch in the grass, laid under the sun, and talked for hours. They must have looked very domestic, feeding each other fruit and talking pictures together, and while he had considered extravagant things like fancy restaurants or ballroom dancing for their first date, he was glad he'd decided on the park. It was just Adrian, Marinette, and a basket full of snacks.

He couldn't imagine a better first day together, but as he chased her barefoot through the grass a sound reached his ears that stopped them dead in their tracks. They locked eyes and Adrian knew she heard the screaming too.

Without wasting a second, they clasped hands and ran for cover, darting into the trees where they wouldn't be seen. "Alright Plagg," Adrian said. "Claws out!"

He felt Plagg become one with his ring and the power seeped through him. Mask, ears, tail and suit he transformed, and when he was through he looked at Marinette who, to his surprise, was still standing there in her sundress. He frowned and she giggled, gazing at him with such adoration that even as Cat Noir he felt a bit bashful. "What's the matter, princess?"

"Oh, sorry, nothing," She said. "It's just… Well, I've never gotten to see you transform before."

Warmth spread through Cat Noir's whole body and he smiled, trying not to feel _too_ hypnotized as Marinette shouted "Spots on!"

Once suited up and ready to go, Ladybug beat her wings and took off, Cat following close behind, hidden in her shadow.

It wasn't hard to find the villain. There was a huge commotion surrounding the hospital, and when they arrived, most people were running screaming in the opposite direction.

Standing in front of the hospital doors was a girl. She wore a dress the color of a surgeon's scrubs and her hair was a metallic silver. Hanging from her belt was a skirt of blades, clanging noisily together whenever she moved. Each one looked deadly sharp, and Cat Noir couldn't help but notice there was a gap in the skirt, right at her hip, the missing blade clutched in the villain's fist.

Laying in a heap below her was a man dressed in scrubs, and when she looked up, Cat Noir saw that her face was half covered by a medical mask.

The mask was covered in blood.

Cat grabbed Ladybug's hand, pulling her protectively behind himself. She peeked around him, and he could see the color drain from her face. "Is he…?"

From across the street the silver haired girl laughed, the sound muffled by the bloody mask. "Is he...Dead?" She finished. "No Ladybug, he's not dead, but when he gets ahold of a mirror he's going to _wish_ he was dead."

Ladybug was disgusted. "Who are you?" She demanded, stepping towards her threateningly. "What is it you want?"

" _I_ am Lass-eration," The girl snapped. "And _this_ is what I want." She pointed at the surgeon with her blade. "I want him to suffer, Ladybug! I want him to suffer like I'm going to suffer for the rest of my life!"

"Sharp comeback," Cat Noir growled, drawing his staff. "But I think it's about time we cut to the chase."

Lass-eration locked eyes with him and with a cry, tugged another blade free of her belt and charged towards him swinging. With one blade she spared with Cat, threatening Ladybug with the other. Lady's eyes were full of fear, and she spun her yoyo frantically, but it was doing very little to deflect the blows of a full fledged sword. "K-keep her busy, Kitty!" She shouted, falling back. "I've got to find the Akuma!"

She opened her wings to fly, but before her feet left the ground Lass-eration lunged for her, swiping her blade across Ladybug's ribs. She cried out in pain, blood splattering onto Lass-eration already gore soaked mask.

Suddenly, Cat Noir was seeing red. He let out a roar like a lion's. " _CATACLYSM!"_ He bellowed furiously, raising a clawed hand to swipe Lass-eration's head from her shoulders.

"Cat, no!" Ladybug screamed. "You'll kill her!"

Before he could lower his hand Ladybug flew right into him, knocking him onto the ground before he could strike. He stared at her, panting, and he could feel her blood slowly soaking his front, but then he saw the blade out of the corner of his eye and he acted without thought, rolling on top of her just ass Lass-eration brought down her weapon. He felt it slice through the skin of his arm and he growled, shattering the blade with one cataclysmic touch. He launched himself at Lass-eration, throwing punches wherever he could reach without mercy while behind him, Ladybug summoned her lucky charm.

"Cat Noir, catch!"

He whipped around just in time, snatching a beautiful hand mirror out of the air. " _Huh?"_

He had no idea what Lady expected him to do with that, but he flashed the polished glass at Lass-eration anyway, brows raised in shock when she flinched away, wailing like a banshee. " _NO!"_ She shrieked. " _MY FACE!"_

While she was distracted, Cat melted away.

" _WHERE ARE YOU? I'LL KILL YOU!"_

Cat watched as Ladybug swooped in, knocking Lass-eration in the face with her yoyo. Furious, she charged at Ladybug and Cat Noir reformed behind her, grabbing both her arms and yanking them roughly behind her back, almost enjoying the cry of pain she unleashed when he did.

With Lass-eration trapped, Ladybug easily ripped the bloody mask from her face, releasing and purifying the Akuma that was hidden inside.

She met Cat Noir's eyes and he tossed her the mirror, watching her throw it up and into the air with a triumphant shout. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Lass-eration fell to the ground, sobbing with both hands desperately covering her face. Cat Noir only caught a glimpse, but he could tell she was drastically deformed, as if parts of her face had been cut out by knife. He didn't spare another second to look, however, because on the pavement beside him Ladybug was on her knees, face pale. He hurried to her side. "M'lady, what's the matter?" He urged her. "Ladybug, are you okay?"

"It didn't work."

He faltered. "...What?"

She lifted her hand away from her ribs, and though her suit was red the darkness of her blood stood out. She was still very much wounded, and so was the surgeon. "It didn't go away," She whispered.

"But your lucky charm," He protested. "It always undoes the Akumatized's damage… Right?"

She didn't reply, she could only shake her head. He could hear her breathing become panicked, she was hyperventilating. "Come on M'lady," He said. "Time to bug out, okay?"

When he got no response he lifted her into his arms, running, melting into the shadows as he did and taking her with him. He traveled at a speed that rivaled that of light, getting both of them to his apartment just in time. Just as he laid her onto his bed he changed back, and Marinette followed not a minute after. Her green dress quickly began soaking up blood, the line of red spreading rapidly through the fabric. He didn't hesitate taking it off of her, hurrying to find a first aid kit. He cleaned her cut with shaking hands, sweat beading on his forehead. The sight of her blood broke something inside him, and he moved frantically, bandaging her up as fast as he could. "... Adrian?"

"Shh, Princess I've got you," He said, voice shaking. "It's going to be okay, I'm going to take care of you."

"Adrian, I'm fine! Your arm!"

She pointed to his bicep and he paused, chuckling without humor as he saw the blood soaking his sleeve. He passed her the roll of bandages. "It's just a scratch, really, but if you want to play doctor…"

Her eyes narrowed as she lifted his shirt over his head. "Easy Kitty," She teased.

The lighthearted moment calmed them both, but it didn't last. "I'm scared," Marinette finally said. "We've never…. We've never gotten hurt like this before. No one's ever actually… injured us like this while under the influence of an Akuma. Something's not right, Adrian. Something weird is going on. My lucky charm undoes a lot of damage, but it apparently can't heal cuts."

Adrian saw the fear in her eyes and it broke his heart. He was scared to, they've always gotten away without a scratch but realistically… Almost all of their enemies had been kids, no older than they were at the time. He gently took the bandages from her hands, pulling her body close to his and moving his hands up and down her back. Her bare skin was soft under his touch and he squeezed her tight, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Don't be discouraged, bugaboo," He murmured. "Sure your lucky charm can't heal cuts, but think, it's never had too. Our powers are changing, aren't they? We're getting stronger. It only makes sense that the bad guys are getting stronger too."

She looked up at him, tears welling up in her eyes. "What if they're _too_ strong?" She whispered. "Adrian, you were almost stabbed in the back today."

"But we made it out, didn't we? We got the bad guy, we won, remember?" She tried to look away but he cupped her cheek and made her look at him. "We're an unbeatable team," He said firmly. "We always have been, and now…" He leaned in, brushing his lips over Marinette's. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her nose and her forehead, one arm snug around her bare waist while the free hand cradled her tear streaked face. "Look at us," He said. "This can only make us stronger. We're more than just a team, Marinette. You've always been more than a partner to me."

She cracked a smile. "You mean it?"

"You're my everything, Marinette."

Seeming to forget how close to naked she was, Marinette threw herself on him and wrapped both arms around his neck, kissing him deeply and pressing close. He held her tight, kissing back and moving his hands up and down her sides, the rough bandage a stark contrast from the silky softness of her body. With her so close to him he couldn't help but think about his shirt and her dress, all but forgotten in a heap on his bedroom floor.

"You're blushing, Cat Noir," Marinette teased him.

He opened his eyes and knew she was right. He felt like his face was on fire, he couldn't help it, he's never felt this way about anyone else and when they were together this way…

He _was_ a man, after all.

"What?" Marinette prodded. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Bug off," He chuckled, gripping her by the chin and kissing her again, losing himself in the moment and letting the stress of what had happened melt away. Her hands on him made him feel like all was right in the world. He could feel her fingers in his hair, her lips on his lips and her legs around his waist. He grabbed her without thinking, caught up in the heat of things he let his hands wander upwards mouth going dry when he felt the lace of her bra under his palm.

He gasped, choosing that moment to break the kiss. He needed to catch his breath before his senses were lost completely. It was that bell like laughter that brought him back to earth, and when he met Marinette's eyes she was grinning, her demeanor was flirtatious, and completely hypnotic. "Vixen," He jeered.

"Not my fault you decided to cop a feel."

"Not my fault you bled through your dress," He shot back playfully.

Marinette feigned offence, crossing both arms across her exposed chest in a way that did anything _but_ hide it from view. They were both laughing, but then Marinette's face fell and she brought a hand to his arm, fidgeting with the edge of his bandage. "If our injuries didn't go away," She said suddenly. "Then what about…"

Adrian went rigid. "The surgeon!"

Without bothering to get dressed, they fed their Kwamis and transformed, hurrying back to the scene of the fight where, just like they'd expected, everything looked more or less normal. "Good to know the charm worked for something," Ladybug mumbled.

Cat nodded, sticking close to her and insisting on holding her hand. Being back there put him on edge, he kept replaying the fight in his head, seeing her get slashed across the ribs over and over again. The very memory of it made his blood boil, and in the deepest, darkest corner of his mind he wondered what exactly would have happened if he'd managed to strike Lass-eration with his cataclysm.

When he and Ladybug entered the hospital, the man behind the counter eagerly ushered them back to the room where the surgeon from earlier was staying. When they saw him all Cat Noir could think of was the deformities he'd noticed on that girl's face.

The surgeon now had the exact same scarring.

"So it was revenge," Cat said, thinking out loud.

"That it was," The surgeon said. "Her name is Suzette. She was my patient, she suffered from late stage skin cancer and went through a lot of surgeries. I performed all of them myself."

"Do you have any idea why she could have wanted to attack you" Ladybug asked.

"Actually, yes," He said bitterly. "She didn't want to go through with removing the cancerous skin. She figured her chances at surviving were slim either way, so she prefered to just, in her words, die beautiful. But she's a minor, and her parents wanted otherwise…"

"So you operated anyway," Ladybug finished.

He nodded. "Yes."

Cat looked over at Ladybug and felt a tug at his heart. Seeing her so upset hurt him. "That's… Awful," She finally said. "I'm so sorry, sir. Thank you for your time."

He nodded again and the nurse showed them out. Ladybug was quiet as they walked, so quiet that when the screaming began it was like nails on a chalk board. Cat Noir's whole body went rigid and he put himself between Ladybug and the shrieking, seeing a very familiar face; a heavily scarred face. "Lass-eration," He snarled.

"Suzette," Ladybug corrected, stepping out from behind him with a stern look. His ears drooped. "You don't have to protect me, Cat Noir. I'm not a damsel in distress, you know."

She held out her hand for him and he smiled, ears perked right back up as he laced his fingers through hers. They approached Suzette together, and Cat was a bit alarmed to see the police there, putting her in cuffs and reading her her rights. She caught sight of them and screamed even louder, hurting his ears at such close proximity. " _You're so cruel,"_ She wailed. " _How could you take away my strength? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME? Watch your backs! You'd better sleep with both eyes open because you're going to PAY FOR THIS!"_

They watched, jaws dropped as the police dragged the girl away. "No Akuma?" Cat managed.

"No Akuma," Ladybug confirmed.

"So she's just… Bad."

Lady looked up at him, face pale as she confirmed his fears with a nod. "Yeah. She's just bad."

The whole situation left him feeling very uneasy. He escorted ladybug home, but even though it was getting late he had a hard time letting her go. He kissed her goodnight and drove home, and though when he looked back on the day it had been great, it felt a little bit as if his world had been flipped upside down.

That night when he laid down to go to sleep, he felt almost… nervous. "What's the matter, champ?" Plagg yawned. "Lose your Ladybug body pillow?"

Adrian shook his head, pushing the strange feeling away. "Its nothing…" He mumbled, ignoring Plagg's attempts at joking. "Get some sleep."

Even as Adrian closed his eyes, he felt a fear nagging at him, and that was when the nightmares began. He tossed and he turned as a voice as old as time spoke softly to him, urging him to relinquish his miraculous in return for…

"LADYBUG!"

Adrian jumped up, all tangled in his blankets and breathing hard. He looked around his room, eyes straining in the darkness. He was covered in sweat, images of his ladybug in trouble haunting him every time he closed his eyes. The message was clear; bring me your miraculous, or face your greatest fear, and his greatest fear was something bad happening to the woman he loved.

"Hey man, you don't look so good," Plagg mumbled. "You alright over there?"

"I've got to get out of here," He said dizzily, wiping his brow. "Plagg, Claws out."

" _Seriously? In the middle of the ni-aaaAHHHHHHH!"_

Plagg was yanked from his little bed, sucked into the ring as he transformed into Cat Noir. Without skipping a beat he leapt out his window, turning to shadow and ghosting across the city.

He reformed on the very edge of Marinette's windowsill, teetering just a bit before lowering his voice to a whisper. "Cataclysm."

Gently, he tapped on the glass and it turned to dust. With the new opening he slipped inside, tip toeing to Marinette's bedside. A breeze rolled in through the open window and he froze, watching as Marinette stirred. She blinked her big blue eyes at him and without a word, lifted the corner of her blankets. Gratitude surged through him. "Claws in," He said quietly, leaving him once again in his tee shirt and boxers. He slipped into bed with Marinette and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He didn't think about the nightmare, and he didn't think about how he wasn't the only one sleeping without pants, the only thing on his mind was how good it felt to have her curled up against him. Surrounded by the scent of her and lulled by the sound of her breathing, Adrian quickly fell asleep.

As it turned out, he hadn't been the only one having trouble sleeping.

Marinette had had almost the exact same dream as Adrian, all she had been able to think about was… Adrain. What if he got too protective of her and got himself hurt? She knew how he got, especially with his claws out he could be a little over the top, but if they were only focused on trying to save each other and not on trying to save the world… _Both_ of them would wind up hurt.

When she woke from the nightmare, she heard the telltale pitter patter of her partner drawing near. She thought it was part of the dream until she felt the breeze coming from her open window.

When she opened her eyes, Cat Noir was standing over her like a guardian angel, there to protect her from her jarring nightmare. She lifted her blankets, not caring if he saw her in her panties considering he'd already seen them earlier that day. Plus, by the feel of his legs tangled with hers, he was in his underwear too. Once he was settled under the covers, chin resting on the top of her head, she tucked herself closer and stroked up and down his spine. She moved her hand up the back of his shirt to feel the warm skin beneath the cotton, the sensation of skin on skin soothing her to her core. A low purr rumbled in his chest and she suppressed a giggle, falling asleep to the sound of it.

In the morning, Marinette felt a surge of fear. She didn't want to open her eyes and discover that Cat Noir's late night visit had all be in her head. She squeezed her eyes closed, but when she rolled over she felt a warm body shift around her, cuddling her nearer as if she were a teddy bear. The purring started up again and she smiled, scattering kisses along the curve of Adrian's neck. She felt him shiver beneath her and when he opened his eyes, the smitten look he gave her turned her heart to mush. "Good morning, M'lady," He greeted her. "You never told me you had such a great view. And from bed, too."

"Eh, the view's okay," She shrugged, running her hands along his broad shoulders. "Provided you don't fall to your death. My window has no glass, see…"

Adrian's smile turned sheepish. "I'll uhh… Have that replaced," He promised. "I… Didn't want to wake you."

"To be honest, I was already awake," Marinette admitted. "I kind of had this really… horrible dream."

His brows shot up. "Really? You too?"

"Is that why you came?"

Adrian ran his fingers through her hair, eyes worlds away. "I couldn't sleep," He admitted. "I was terrified. I couldn't bear the thought of spending another minute without you in my sight."

"It makes me really nervous," Marinette mumbled. "I can't shake the feeling that something bad is coming."

Adrian gave her a sympathetic smile. "It was probably just a dream, M'Lady. We're still a little shaken by what happened with Lass-eration, we need to unwind, that's all. You shouldn't let it worry you." He reached up, stroking her cheek and giving her little round earing an affectionate flick. "Besides," He said with a wink. "No matter what's coming, we're an unbeatable team."

Marinette's heart fluttered in her chest, and Adrian leaned in, pressing his mouth to hers and kissing her slow and sweet. She let Adrian roll her onto her back, leaning over her and resting both of his hands on her waist. His touch felt like fire and the way he kissed made her stomach twist up into knots. The only thing that stopped them was the sudden ringing of Marinette's phone.

Mortified, she met Adrian's gaze and he gave her a smoldering eyed smile, nodding towards the bedside table where her phone rested. She quickly apologized and slipped out of bed, hyper aware of the fact that she was only wearing panties and a tank top as she answered her phone. "H-hello?"

"Hey girl! It's Alya!"

"ALYA!" She shrieked. Alya had a really high paying job as a journalist and it forced her to travel a lot. Marinette hadn't seen her in weeks."Oh my god, hi! How's it been? How's work?"

"Over, girlfriend!" Alya whooped. "I'm coming home today!"

"Today?" She gasped. "Well… We _have_ to get together! I've got so much I want to tell you." Marinette glanced over at Adrian, who was gazing adoringly towards her, eyes drifting more than once to her bare butt cheeks. Her face went red. "It's something you have got to hear face to face."


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette's heart was thumping with excitement as she sat down in the airport's waiting area. She felt as if she hadn't seen her best friend in years, and she could hardly wait to gush about her very recent romantic endeavors. She was honestly just glad she was on time, because leaving her apartment that morning had been very tricky with Adrian always right beside her. It had been strange enough having the man of her dreams in her apartment with her. That alone had set her heart rate skyrocketing, but it was the flirting, the kisses, and Adrian's all around charm that had made it so hard to force herself out the door.

"I don't want you to go," Adrian had admitted selfishly, a cheshire cat grin on his face as he pulled Marinette near to him by her waist. "Reschedule."

"I can't," She was giggling, looking towards the ceiling to avoid his smoldering gaze. "I have so much to tell her!"

Adrian snickered, leaning in and pressing a series of feather light kisses to the exposed skin of her arched neck. Suddenly, looking up at the ceiling became a terrible mistake. She shivered and felt his lips tug upwards in a smirk. "If you stay," He crooned, hands sliding down her hips. "Maybe you'll have a little something extra to tell her."

"Paws off," Marinette teased, stepping just out of his reach. It was so hard not to laugh, seeing the Cat Noir in him this way, she couldn't help but give him a hard time. "We've only been on one date, in case you forgot. Have some class!"

"That's hardly accurate," Adrian argued, crossing the room and backing her into a corner. One hand resting flat against the wall, his other stroked her face from her temple to the tip of her chin, drawing her closer to him until their noses touched. "Our love is much older than that, M'lady."

Marinette's heart throbbed in her chest and she hardly had time to close her eyes before Adrian's lips captured hers. She was so swept away by the way he spoke that she just couldn't resist returning his kiss. In the back of her mind a clock ticked away, reminding her she only had so much time to get the airport. Alya would be waiting for her, but Adrian just kissed so well...

Further scrambling her thoughts he slipped his hand into her blazer, his warm touch like fire on the small of her back. He drew her closer to him until they were hip to hip, and for a moment Marinette completely forgot to inhale.

Her breath finally came in a sudden gasp when she felt the tip of his tongue graze her lip. She pulled back, just enough to look at him, and his green eyes almost drew her right back in. "I should go," She finally squeaked, cheeks scarlet. "Alya… She's waiting for me."

Eyes softening, Adrian sighed in defeat, but he didn't put any space between them. "Very well," He said. "I'll let you go on one condition."

Marinette blinked, and a gentle smile spread across his face. "Dinner," He said.

She grinned, reaching up to peck his cheek. "Dinner," She agreed eagerly, and before he could do anything else to distract her she grabbed her keys and fled, taking a deep breath of cool air to clear her head before making her way down the stairs.

To get to the airport quick enough, she wound up having to transform. Her wings carried her far faster than a cab and she made it in no time, quickly changing back into Marinette before sitting down as if she'd been there all along.

Not a moment too soon, Marinette saw a flood of people begin trickling into the room. She heard exuberant greetings all around her, the commotion of the crowd almost swallowing her up. Alya, however, had quite the pair of eyes and spotted her through it all.

When their eyes met, they shrieked, running towards each other with outstretched arms and jumping around like a couple of children. "Marinette, _girl!"_ Alya sang. "Look at _you!"_

Marinette laughed. "It's not like I've changed," She protested. "It's only been a couple of months."

"But look at you!" Alya insisted. "You're glowing, girlfriend!"

Marinette thought back to Adrian's tongue grazing her upper lip and her blush only darkened. "Come on," She said finally, linking arms with Alya and heading towards one of the many cafe's within the airport. "We've got a lot to talk about."

"Sure do," Alya agreed. "Work has been brutal, you have no idea."

"Why's that?" Marinette asked as they sat. "Where've you been anyway?"

"Everywhere," Alya drawled mysteriously. "Me and my team have been flying all over trying to cover the millennial crack."

Marinette blinked. "The… what?"

"The Millennial crack," Alya repeated. "Once every thousand years it happens like clockwork. Crime skyrockets, people have horrible nightmares and start hearing voices in their heads. People have gone completely loony. Its some serious stuff!"

"Ohh," Marinette mused. "Sounds like the work of super villains!"

A pout appeared on Alya's face and she absently toyed with a thin chain around her neck, looking off towards the windows. "I haven't seen any yet," She complained. "It's all just been regular criminals. Thugs, kidnappers, rapists… All the usual mess. Nothing like we've seen around here."

"Tell me about it."

"But it's still been scary," Alya said. "Things have gotten so bad in fact that the superheros have gotten involved."

Marinette's heart thumped in her chest, but before she could ask for clarification Alya was waving her hand dismissively. "Anyway, enough about me," She interrupted. "What about you girlfriend? What's your big news?"

Shifting gears happily, Marinette leaned in close. "So… You remember how I gave up all hope of me and Adrian being together right after graduation?"

"How could I forget? We spent the whole night drinking wine and you cried on me for an hour."

"Okay, okay, details," Marinette said, embarrassment coloring her cheeks red. "Anyway, I was coming to a point! You know how we work together now?"

"Yes…" Alya said slowly, eyes narrowing. "Am I going to like the end of this story?"

"Yes! Well, we had a fashion show this weekend and there were drinks, and dancing, and all this other mess and…" Marinette looked off, remembering how she'd screamed at him, how she'd run off in the rain and how he'd been right on her heels. She swooned at the memory of his lips on hers, tasting like rain. "He kissed me."

Alya's jaw dropped. "After all this time?" She demanded. "He picks _now_ to fall for you?"

"But that's just it," Marinette said dreamily. "He liked me all along. He just… never knew how to tell me."

"So what you're saying is," Alya huffed. "That you were _both_ stupid little cowards?"

Marinette couldn't help laughing, leaving out all of the details involving Cat Noir and Ladybug. "Yes, that's pretty much it."

"If _one_ of you," Alya shouted over her laughter. "Just _one_ of you had said something we'd have been to your _wedding_ by now! Girl! What _am_ I going to do with you two?"

"And that's not all," Marinette admitted, covering her face with both hands. "He may or may not have spent in last night my apartment."

Alya's brows shot up, and Marinette bit her lip. "We shared my bed."

" _Did you guys bang?"_

"No, we did _not!"_ Marinette nearly shouted.

Alya rolled her eyes. "Pft, pitty."

They met each other's eyes, and both of them erupted into giggles. "So," Marinette said. "When are you going to see Nino again?"

Alya's expression grew fond, but before she could speak a word they heard sirens shriek, the noise rushing closer all the while.

Without a word they both bolted for the window, just in time to see a police cruiser speed past with Cat Noir crouched on the roof. " _Adrian!"_ Marinette cried.

"Really?" Alya gapsed. "Where, where? Is he alright?"

Marinette's face went pale. "Oh! Nowhere, nowhere! I um, I… I think i left the stove on! I've got to go!"

Without waiting for a reaction Marinette bolted, ducking into a washroom and quickly transforming. She flew out at top speed, rushing to Cat Noir's aid.

The commotion was unreal. Running helplessly after the police car was an officer, a sobbing woman right on his heals. "Please," She was crying. "Please, she can't swim!"

Ladybug's eyes darted forward, locking on the driver of the cruiser. It was no officer, that much was obvious, and he had a struggling little girl locked in his free arm. From the looks of it, the kidnapper planned to drive straight into the river.

" _Cataclysm!"_

Before Ladybug could make a move Cat Noir had eradicated the cruiser's roof, reaching in and yanking the little girl right out of the kidnappers arms. He wrapped himself protectively around her, extended his staff and vaulted them both to safety, panting for breath all the while. He locked eyes with Marinette and smiled, the wriggling child locked in his arms. Before they could speak, however, the kidnapper was breaking hard, fleeing from the cruiser and heading straight for the woman who must have been the girl's mother. "Oh no you don't," Ladybug shouted. She flung her yoyo, wrapping it around him, tugging hard, and leaping into the air. She zipped along its string and landed with both feet on his chest, knocking him to the ground. She was about to scream for her lucky charm when suddenly she paused, noticing something very alarming. There was no akuma on this man, nothing, he was just a normal man. She wasn't going to let that bother her, however, until he spoke, his words rattling her bones. "Perfect," The sleazy man sneered. "Two supers falling so easily into my trap. Come now, missy, give me your miraculous. My master only needs one." he reached up toward her ears, but before she could fight him off a flaming arrow nailed him in the wrist. He jerked violently, knocking Ladybug aside as he yowled in agony.

 _There_ was the Akumatized, Ladybug realized. Standing on the roof of a parked car was a man shrouded in a hooded cloak of flame. Ladybug's eyes locked on the sobbing mother and the officer. "Run!" She snapped.

The officer didn't question her, turning on his heals and retreating with the screaming woman in tow.

" _MOMMY!"_ Screamed the child, thrashing in Cat Noir's gentle hold.

"Quiet you little brat," Snapped the Akumatized. "And you too." He shot another arrow in the direction of the kidnapper who, still nursing his first burn, hardly had time to roll out of the way.

"Let me guess," Cat drawled, looking him over. "You were… fired?"

"I am Roaming Flame," He growled from the shadow of his hood. "And I will have _both_ of your miraculous for Hawk Moth!"

"No!" Screamed the kidnapper, and with fierce determination he peeled himself up off of the pavement and charged at Roaming Flame, hefting part of the destroyed car roof as a shield of sorts to protect himself from flame. Ladybug stared, jaw dropped as the two villains began fighting _each other_ for the chance at her and Cat and she looked at him, lost for words. His ring suddenly beeped and both of them went pale. "Cheese," He said, clutching the crying child closer.

"Right!"

Cat Noir ducked into a nearby restroom and she wasted no time, flinging her yoyo to a nearby telephone pole and yanking herself into the air. She used the head start to accelerate her flight as she searched frantically for somewhere that may have some camembert cheese. It didn't take long, and soon she was returning with a smelly bundle of cheese. She dipped into the restroom where Cat had disappeared, seeing Adrian on his knees in front of the little girl. He twirled her around and around, singing softly as he danced with her and though her cheeks were still wet with tears, she was laughing. Ladybug's heart melted in her chest and though she hated to interrupt their little moment she cleared her throat, holding out her hand to reveal Plagg, eagerly stuffing his face. Adrian nodded sharply before turning back to his dance partner. "I've got to go save Paris now, sweetheart. Stay right here and we'll find your Mommy."

"Promise?" She asked, holding out her pinkie.

"Promise to keep our little secret?" Adrian countered, extending his as well.

She laughed, nodding enthusiastically. They linked pinkies and shook on it, then Adrian grabbed Plagg and transformed back into Cat Noir, taking Ladybug by her hand and leading her back out into the fray.

To their surprise, they weren't alone. Already fighting was Vulpina and Queen Bee, two other miraculous holders that Cat and Lady fought with from time to time. Vulpina was holding her own, spreading her illusions far and wide until Roaming Flame had no idea what he was shooting at. Bee on the other hand had been captured, and was struggling to get away from the sleazy man's grabbing hands. "My master will reward you well, Queen Bee!" The man assured her, snatching at her comb. "Everything you've ever desired, his ancient power will provide for you! Aren't you tired of being outshone? Wouldn't you like to carry the blessings of an ancient god?"

Shocking Ladybug to her core, Queen Bee actually hesitated. "Bee, no!" She screamed, but it was too late. She watched, horrified as Queen Bee reached back with shaking hands, pulling the Bee comb free of her golden hair.

" _CHLOE?"_ Ladybug shrieked.

The girl she once knew turned towards her, eyes burning with a selfish greed. The moment the kidnapper had the comb in his hands, he and Chloe both dissolved into black ash. The dark cloud swirled terrifyingly around them and one by one Ladybug, Cat, and Vulpina dropped to their knees, howling in pain as their miraculous burned their skin.

Even over the screaming, they all could hear the very voice that had haunted their nightmares bellowing in the wind. " _Enjoy them now!" It rumbled. "Soon, they'll all be mine!"_

When the ash cleared, Chloe and the kidnapper were gone. In an instant Cat Noir was at Ladybug's side, hands on her face. "Are you okay?" He panted.

"F-fine," She managed, resting her hand on his chest. "But… But we can't rest yet, I still have to capture the Akuma." She looked towards Vulpina. "Meet us at the statue at this time tomorrow. Got it?"

Vulpina nodded quickly, clearly still very shaken up.

Squaring her shoulders, Ladybug stepped towards Roaming Flame, who looked just as floored as they did, and called for her lucky charm. Nothing fell from the air like she'd expected, instead clouds rolled in out of nowhere and blackened the sky. She looked up and saw spots. The clouds, the river, her very own hands… Face set with determination, she raised both arms until thunder cracked, lightning striking the river as rain began to pour without mercy. The river churned furiously and Ladybug reached towards it, clenching both fists and tugging. Like a sheet being pulled the water rolled forward at her command, arcing over her, Cat, and Vulpina before crashing down on Roaming flame, effectively extinguishing him and all of his arrows at once. The force of the wave alone snapped the bow in half, freeing the Akuma for her to capture. When she called out _Miraculous Ladybug_ everything shifted. The sun came back out, the river calmed and the streets were bone dry, the only evidence left of Roaming Flame was a crumpled, defeated looking man in business clothes.

Ladybug turned, expecting a smart comment out of Cat but he just stared at her, mouth hanging open. For once, he seemed at a loss for words.

" _You're off the fucking chain!"_ Vulpina cheered. "What was _that?"_

"Wrap things up here, would you?" Ladybug asked her smoothly. "Find that little girl's mother, deal with the police. Okay?"

Still looking pretty starstruck, Vulpina eagerly agreed and got to work, starting with the cute little girl. Confident everything was in good hands, Ladybug breezed past where Cat Noir stood in the alley and tickled his chin, effectively closing his mouth. "You," She said. "Still owe me a dinner date."

He blinked. "But… That voice! Chloe! This isn't good, this is _bad,_ this…"

Interrupting, Ladybug stood up on her toes, wings lifting her just enough for her to lean over Cat, grab his face and kiss him on the mouth. When she pulled away, a reassuring smile spread across her face. "Dinner," She repeated more sweetly.

He didn't look entirely convinced, but clearly was smitten by her and dipped into a dramatic bow. "Of course, M'lady," He said.

With that, she flew off before her earrings could start beeping, transforming back so she could find Alya. They resumed their coffee date, chattering animatedly about the cool fight Alya witnessed, and the _great scoop_ Marinette would have to check the ladyblog to see. She put on a smile for Alya, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't get Cat Noir's face out of her mind, the worry he'd felt clear in his eyes. Marinette knew her sudden calm had been eerie, and honestly she was shocked that she'd managed to pull it off, but she knew that if she had let herself panic over what had happened that Vulpina and Cat Noir would panic right along side her.

She remembered her second fight with stoneheart. She'd let herself panic then, and things had almost gotten out of hand, but when she came through with confidence Cat had followed her lead and they tasted their very first victory.

She decided then that she had to come through one more time. She had to swallow her fear and take the lead. Marinette knew Cat Noir and Vulpina would follow her, she just had to keep it together.

"You can't handle a situation like this on your own," Tikki argued when Marinette voiced her intentions. "You and the others are a team! Share the load, Marinette."

"If I freak out Cat Noir will freak out too," Marinette argued. "If he's busy worrying about _me_ he won't focus on what's really important!"

"He cares about you," Tikki protested. "Isn't that what's really important?"

"What's important is finding the danger and fighting it," Marinette said. "I'm a superhero too, if he tries to keep me out of danger, I can't do my job."

"Not just _your_ job," Tikki said under her breath.

Marinette shot her a glare, but otherwise ignored he as she got ready for her dinner date with Adrian.

Though Adrian never told her where they would be eating, he told her to dress up. So, she slipped into a cocktail dress with a high neckline, no back and a familiar red color. She put her hair up into chopsticks, and moved her ladybug earrings to her second holes in order to wear a pair of dangle ones as well. With heels and a few final touches of makeup she was ready to go when Adrian knocked. She opened the door and felt her heart throb in her chest. He looked so handsome dressed so simply, a black dress shirt with slacks and a green tie that matched his eyes. By the look on his face, he felt similarly about her. "Red..." He mused. "No spots?"

"Not tonight," She laughed.

A smile graced his features and he offered her his arm, leading her out to a waiting limo. Marinette's brows shot up. "You don't mess around, do you?"

"Not with you, bugaboo."

Growing up in paris, Marinette knew that the places to eat were legendary, but the restaurant Adrian took her to was on a whole new level. She'd never been to such a classy place and the food was excellent to say the least. They were seated in a private alcove with floor to ceiling windows, soft music floating from unseen speakers. With such atmosphere surrounding them it was easy to let their troubles sink away. They didn't talk about their miraculous, they didn't talk about what had happened with Chloe. Glass after glass of vintage wine they talked about work, their friends, and their past, laughing over their own obliviousness regarding their affections for each other. "Whenever we fought together, M'lady, it was like I was a different person," Adrian was saying. "Ever since stoneheart I'd been head over heels, it was like I couldn't _stop_ myself from flirting with you."

"With _Ladybug,"_ She teased him, tone hushed.

"Yes," He chuckled. "With Ladybug. I worked up the nerve to tell you once. Valentine's day, remember?"

"That's what you were getting at," She realized. "But then…"

"Dark cupid," He laughed.

"That was our first kiss, you know," Marinette pointed out.

"Kiss?"

"I had to break your spell," She giggled. "You almost used your cataclysm on me. I couldn't believe it, you didn't remember a thing."

"Not fair," He sighed. "I was so crushed that day. I did get a pretty mysterious valentine, though." He shot her a sideways glance, an accusation in his eyes. "It answered a poem I wrote for Ladybug, but wound up throwing out. I had hoped Ladybug somehow… found it."

"Guilty," She admitted. "Did you like it?"

"You could have signed it," He jeered.

"As if," Marinette sniffed, taking another sip of her wine. "You were too focused on Ladybug to give _Marinette_ the time of day."

"Yeah?" He countered. "And you brushed off Cat Noir like it was nothing while you crushed on _Adrian._ "

"So confusing," She groaned, unable to stop from laughing. "I can't believe we had no idea."

"Neither can I," He agreed, reaching over to refill her wine glass. "Can you imagine what would have happened if we'd found out back then?"

"I wouldn't have suffered so much during my stay at university, thats for sure," She snorted. "I let Alya set me up on so many blind dates it was awful." Marinette was going to elaborate, but the look in Adrian's eyes stopped her. Did she detect… envy? "They meant nothing to me," She assured him. "Besides, I'm sure you've had your fair share of awful dates."

His nose wrinkled and when he spoke he was _so_ quiet, that she almost didn't catch the name. "Chloe," He mumbled into his wine.

Her brows shot up. "You dated _Chloe?"_

"She dragged me out on _one_ date," He corrected. "I didn't _date_ her, no. But yes, it was about as horrible as you think."

Marinette surprised herself by laughing. She could have been jealous, she thought that she would be, but Adrian wanted _her_ all along, never Chloe. "Ew, you kissed Chloe."

"Once!"

"Gross, you kissed _CHLOE!"_

Their laughter filled the private alcove, and over the course of their meal the only shared more and more stories such as these. It felt so good to finally have all the walls down. No more secret identities, no more secret crushes, just her and Adrian.

Too soon the night drew to a close. Adrian paid the bill and led her back out to the limo, opening the door for her and sliding in close beside her. They kissed the whole way home, and when the driver finally arrived at Marinette's apartment Adrian walked her up to her door. Before she could utter any cliches about how much fun she'd had, or how she couldn't wait to see him again he embraced her, stopping the words before they could form.

He was the first to speak. "I've been in love with you for years," He said softly. "It's so silly of me, but I feel like it's my the first time."

Marinette blinked, pulling back to meet his eyes. He smiled, and she threw her arms around his neck, dragging him into a deep kiss that ended with his hands on her bare back and her fingers in his hair. "I love you too," She breathed.

It took all of their will to part ways and say goodnight.


End file.
